Assistant, Parrot, or Colonizing Loudspeaker? ChatGPT Metaphors for Developing Critical AI Literacies (2401.08711v1)

Abstract: This study explores how discussing metaphors for AI can help build awareness of the frames that shape our understanding of AI systems, particularly LLMs like ChatGPT. Given the pressing need to teach "critical AI literacy", discussion of metaphor provides an opportunity for inquiry and dialogue with space for nuance, playfulness, and critique. Using a collaborative autoethnographic methodology, we analyzed metaphors from a range of sources, and reflected on them individually according to seven questions, then met and discussed our interpretations. We then analyzed how our reflections contributed to the three kinds of literacies delineated in Selber's multiliteracies framework: functional, critical, and rhetorical. These allowed us to analyze questions of ethics, equity, and accessibility in relation to AI. We explored each metaphor along the dimension of whether or not it was promoting anthropomorphizing, and to what extent such metaphors imply that AI is sentient. Our findings highlight the role of metaphor reflection in fostering a nuanced understanding of AI, suggesting that our collaborative autoethnographic approach as well as the heuristic model of plotting AI metaphors on dimensions of anthropomorphism and multiliteracies, might be useful for educators and researchers in the pursuit of advancing critical AI literacy.

• The paper demonstrates that metaphor use, such as 'assistant' and 'stochastic parrot', critically shapes public perceptions of AI capabilities and limitations.
• The paper reveals how ethical concerns and power dynamics are embedded in AI metaphors, urging educators to address implicit biases in technology discourse.
• The paper shows that incorporating metaphor analysis in curricula enhances critical AI literacies by engaging students in reflective, multi-dimensional learning.

Analyzing AI Literacy Through Metaphor: A Critical Autoethnographic Approach

The paper under review, "Assistant, Parrot, or Colonizing Loudspeaker? ChatGPT Metaphors for Developing Critical AI Literacies," introduces an innovative perspective on how metaphors used in the discourse on artificial intelligence—specifically LLMs like ChatGPT—can facilitate the development of critical AI literacies. Employing a collaborative autoethnographic methodology, the authors explore the potency of metaphors as cognitive tools that shape public understanding, reveal the socio-cultural underpinnings of digital interactions, and expose implicit biases and ethical concerns in AI applications.

Methodological and Analytical Framework

Drawing upon Selber’s multiliteracies framework, which consists of functional, critical, and rhetorical literacies, this research provides a multifaceted analysis of AI metaphors. The authors employed a digital collaborative autoethnography to collect and analyze metaphors by iteratively reflecting on their experiences and engaging with a diverse array of sources, including peer-reviewed literature, social media, and personal interactions. They positioned these metaphors along axes of anthropomorphism and evaluative impact, unveiling how language influences perceptions, attitudes, and interactions with AI technologies.

Key Findings and Thematic Insights

1. Metaphorical Influence on Ontological Perceptions of AI: The authors argue that many public conceptualizations of AI attribute human-like characteristics to LLMs, possibly attributing them with a nonexistent sentience. Metaphors such as "helper," "assistant," or "student" tend to endow AI systems with human-like agency, whereas others like "stochastic parrot" or "blurry JPEG" caution against overlooking their statistical and non-sentient operational nature. This evokes crucial debates about AI's ontological status and ethical implications in both narrative and functional discourse.
2. Ethical and Power Dynamics Embedded in AI Metaphors: The paper elucidates how certain metaphors can either obscure or highlight the ethical issues associated with AI technologies. For instance, metaphors such as "colonizing loudspeaker" and "western museum" bring forth the complicity of AI in reinforcing hegemonic power structures and cultural biases, urging a more critical and socially aware engagement with these platforms.
3. Educational Potential for Developing Critical AI Literacies: The authors propose an educational application of metaphors to foster nuanced critical AI literacies. By engaging students in metaphorical analysis, educators can stimulate discussions that transcend mere functional or technical understanding, encompassing ethical, socio-cultural, and rhetorical considerations. This pedagogical strategy, characterized by exploration and generative thinking, aligns with the pressing need to cultivate an informed and critically aware user base, enhancing learners' ability to navigate the complexities of AI interactions.

Implications for Research and Practice

The paper advances the discourse on AI literacy by advocating that educators incorporate metaphor critique as a deliberate pedagogic strategy. The playful yet critical exploration of metaphors offers a compelling route to demystify the capabilities and limitations of AI. Furthermore, this approach encourages a simultaneous evaluation of the social constructions within which these technologies are embedded. Institutions can leverage these insights to design curricula that not only inform but also sensitize students to the ethical and societal dimensions of AI deployment.

Future Directions

The findings encourage further investigation into how metaphor analysis can be systematically integrated into AI literacy education. Potential avenues for research include longitudinal studies on the impact of metaphor-driven learning on students' perceptions of AI, comparative analyses across cultural contexts, and the role of metaphors in framing AI policies in educational institutions.

In conclusion, this research exemplifies an interdisciplinary approach, merging rhetorical analysis, educational theory, and AI ethics to propose a holistic method for advancing critical AI literacies. By situating metaphors at the core of this endeavor, the paper provides a novel lens through which educators and researchers can navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technologies and their societal implications.